Wednesday, November 12, 2008

She's the Next Messiah


Jenny Lewis is one of those enigmas in the music world. She's a child actress (you have to remember her as Hannah Nefler in Shelly Long's best work Troop Beverly Hills) who has survived that career path to become a bonafide songstress with enough talent and genuine musical chops to make her more than a pretty face with gorgeous/alt/Nylon-y style.

None of this is news. Lewis has been doing the music thing for years in different arrangements. She's the defining member of the band Rilo Kiley, she did an amazing album with the Watson Twins, and has now recently released a solo record called Acid Tongue. I heard the song "The Next Messiah" for the first time on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic (I have a huge crush on accented, tattooed host Nic Harcourt) and I fell in hot love with it. This song's got moves. It has three sections, a bluesy beat, stompy bass, and sweet lyrics. Here's a live version from Germany that rocks.


The album version has its own charms and clocks in at an alternate state inducing 8 minutes and 56 seconds. You can listen to it here if you have the time.

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